Beyond Partnership Meetings

Partnerships don’t exist in isolation. Relevant Authority staff involved face-to-face in the partnership need to be supported by their senior managers. It is also important that ofﬁcers in other relevant departments and, where appropriate, elected members are part of the process, and buy into it. Initial time spent developing this support and involving key players will reap rewards.

It is also essential that staff and volunteers from the community sector partner have the full support of their board of trustees or management committee. If the project is to succeed, all stakeholders must be engaged and able to play their part effectively. The community organisation in question needs to have agreed project objectives for the asset, strong governance skills, and be able to present itself effectively.